Iraq - Education

Photo by: Stefan Gräf

Six years of compulsory primary education have been in effect since
1978. An estimated 44% of adults were illiterate in 2000 (males, 34%;
females, 54%). In 1996, 2,903,923 students attended 8,145 primary
schools, with 145,455 teachers. Student-to-teacher ratio stood at 20 to
1. In that same year, 1,160,421 students attended secondary schools,
with 62,296 teachers. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was
21 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 93% of primary-school-age children
were enrolled in school, while 33% of those eligible attended secondary
school.

Primary schools provide a six-year course, at the end of which the
student must pass an examination to be admitted to secondary school. The
curriculum is based on Western patterns but also includes religious
teaching. The language of instruction is Arabic. Secondary schools have
a three-year intermediate course, followed by a two-year course in
preparation for entrance to college. A national examination must be
passed at its end. Secondary education for girls dates from 1929.
Traditional Quranic schools are nearly extinct.

Education at all levels from primary to higher education is free, and no
private schools are permitted to operate. There are seven universities
in Iraq, four of them in Baghdad. The University of Baghdad is the most
important higher education institution in the country. Other
universities include Mosul, al-Mustansiriya, Basra, and as-Sulaymaniyah.
In addition to these universities, there are 19 technical institutes
throughout Iraq. In 1988, all higher-level institutions had 209,818
pupils and 11,072 instructors. Education in Iraq is under the control of
the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and
Research.

Will somebody PLEASE tell me how much Iraq education costs per year. I'm trying to finish a powerpoint but, I can't without that information. I've looked at several sites and can't find anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.